Big demand for small fuels Kern growth

With the Global consumer market continually striving for the smallest possible mobile phone, iPod, PC and gadget, manufacturing industry is forced towards the production of increasingly complex, accurate and small components to meet these needs. It is this growing worldwide demand that has seen the Kern business expand exponentially in recent times. Based an hour south of Munich on the border of the Alps, in January 2007 the company employed 100 people; this is now well over 140 with a new employee joining the company every week. Kern has moved into a new facility that has plenty of room for expansion as the company continually produces more machines. In 2007 Kern produced 55 machines with 72 scheduled for 2008 and potentially 100 machine sales on the cards for 2009. Started in 1962 as a sub-contract manufacturer with the remit of also distributing Jung grinding machines, it wasn’t until 1982 that Mr Kern considered the manufacture of machine tools. Sub-contracting remains a strong activity, however.